On-demand system information

• US 10,200,920 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2015
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Kubota, Keiichi, Ji, Tingfang, Bhushan, Naga, Horn, Gavin Bernard, Smee, John Edward, Soriaga, Joseph Binamira, Zeng, Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Solinsky, Peter G
• Application Number:
  US14/803,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20160234736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0083 Determination of parameters used for hand-off, e.g. generation or modification of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless network may provide system information by either a fixed periodic broadcast or broad-beam transmission or in response to a request by a user equipment (UE). The wireless network may broadcast (or broad-beam transmit) a signal that indicates to the UEs within a cell or zone coverage area that system information is to be transmitted on a fixed periodic schedule or in response to a request sent by one or more UEs.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:

receiving, at the UE, a first signal, the first signal comprising a system information block including a first indication of whether system information is to be requested by the UE and a second indication of at least one of a channel, a frequency, or timing information for sending, by the UE, a request for the system information;

identifying one or more functions for which system information is to be obtained;

sending, by the UE, the request for system information in accordance with the first indication;

receiving, at the UE, the system information in accordance with the first indication and the request, wherein the received system information includes system information for the identified one or more functions; and

establishing a connection between the UE and a base station in accordance with the received system information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the system information comprises:

receiving the system information via a second signal in accordance with the first indication, the second signal being transmitted via a broadcast or broad-beam operation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first signal comprises:

receiving information indicating a predetermined channel on which system information is to be transmitted via a second broadcast signal via a broadcast or broad-beam operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first signal comprises:

receiving the first signal as part of a broad-beam operation in a massive multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving the system information comprises:

receiving the system information as part of a broad-beam or narrow-beam operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first signal comprises:

receiving the first signal as part of a broadcast operation in a non-massive multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving the system information comprises:

receiving the system information as part of a broadcast or unicast operation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the system information comprises:

sending a request for the system information for the one or more functions; and

receiving the system information for the one or more functions in response to the request.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the system information comprises:

sending a separate request for system information for each of the one or more functions, each request being for system information of a different function; and

receiving, individually, system information for the one or more functions in response to each request.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first signal further comprises:

receiving a third indication that system information for the one or more functions is to be broadcast at one or more predetermined times and on one or more predetermined channels.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first signal further comprises:

receiving a third indication that system information for the one or more functions is available.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the system information comprises:

sending one or more requests for the system information for the one or more functions in accordance with the first indication and the third indication; and

receiving the system information for the one or more functions the one or more requests.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the first signal comprises:

receiving information identifying a target device where one or more requests for system information for the one or more functions are to be sent.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the first signal comprises:

receiving information identifying one or more time periods corresponding to when one or more requests for system information for the one or more functions are to be sent, wherein each time period corresponds to a separate function of the one or more services.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the system information comprises:

receiving the system information for the one or more functions via one or more second signals, the one or more second signals being transmitted via a broadcast or broad-beam operation.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the system information comprises:

receiving the system information for the one or more functions, wherein the system information includes information identifying the one or more functions for which the system information is valid.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the system information comprises:

receiving the system information for one of the one or more functions;

determining whether additional system information for the one of the one or more functions is needed; and

requesting additional system information for the one of the one or more functions based at least in part on the determining.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more functions include one or more of an energy efficient function, a high reliability function, a low latency function, a broadcast function, or a small data function.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the system information comprises:

receiving the system information for the one or more functions, wherein the system information includes information identifying a validity time period; and

re-obtaining the system information for the one or more functions upon expiration of the validity time period.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the validity time period is based on a power saving mode (PSM) time period or an amount of time to cycle through all value tags of the system information.

21. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

transmitting, from a base station, a first signal, the first signal comprising a system information block including a first indication of whether system information is to be requested by a user equipment (UE) and a second indication of at least one of a channel, a frequency, or timing information for sending, by the UE, a request for the system information;

receiving, at the base station, the request for the system information in accordance with the indication;

transmitting, from the base station, the system information in accordance with the first indication and the request, wherein the system information associated with functions available to the UE, wherein separate transmissions are used to transmit the system information for different functions and different configurations of functions; and

establishing a connection between the base station and the UE in accordance with the system information.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein transmitting the system information comprises:

transmitting the system information via a second signal in accordance with the indication, the second signal being transmitted via a broadcast or broad-beam operation.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

including, in the first signal, information indicating a predetermined channel on which the system information is to be transmitted via a broadcast or broad-beam operation.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein transmitting the system information comprises:

transmitting the system information in accordance with the indication and a transmission mode.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

changing the transmission mode to be a broadcast or broad-beam mode targeting a cell edge and having fixed periodic scheduling.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

changing the transmission mode to be a broadcast or broad-beam mode targeting a cell edge and having an on-demand periodic scheduling triggered by the request for the system information in accordance with the first indication.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

changing the transmission mode to be a broadcast or broad-beam mode having an on-demand aperiodic scheduling triggered by the request for the system information in accordance with the first indication.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

changing the transmission mode to be a unicast or narrow-beam mode having an on-demand aperiodic scheduling triggered the request for the system information in accordance with the first indication.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

changing the transmission mode based on network load or congestion status.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

using a broad-beam operation to transmit the first signal in a massive multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) network.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

using a broad-beam or narrow-beam operation to transmit the system information, in accordance with the first indication and a transmission mode.

32. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

using a broadcast operation to transmit the first signal in a non-massive multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) network.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

using a broadcast or unicast operation to transmit the system information, in accordance with the first indication and a transmission mode.

34. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a request for the system information for one or more function in accordance with the indication; and

transmitting the system information for the one or more functions in response to the request.

35. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving multiple requests for the system information for one or more functions in accordance with the first indication, each request being from the UE and being for system information of a different function; and

transmitting the system information for the one or more functions in response to the request.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein transmitting the system information the request comprises:

transmitting the system information for each of the one or more functions in a joint transmission.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein transmitting the system information the request comprises:

transmitting the system information for each of the one or more functions in separate transmissions.

38. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

including, in the first signal, a third indication that the system information for one or more functions is to be broadcast at one or more predetermined times and on one or more predetermined channels.

39. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

including, in the first signal, a third indication that the system information for one or more functions is available to be requested.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

receiving one or more requests for the system information for one or more functions in accordance with the first indication and the third indication.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

including, with the first signal, information indicating where and when one or more requests for the system information for one or more functions are to be sent.

42. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

including, in the system information, information indicating one or more functions for which the system information is valid.

43. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

including, in the system information, information indicating a duration of time for which the system information is valid, wherein the system information for different functions and different configurations of functions includes different durations of time.

44. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

receiving one or more requests for system information for one or more functions in accordance with the first indication without having included in the first signal a third indication of which functions system information is available.

45. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving one or more requests for the system information in accordance with the indication; and

identifying the system information to be sent pertaining to different functions based at least in part on transmission resources used by the one or more requests.

46. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

changing the first indication to indicate that system information is to be transmitted via either a broadcast or broad-beam operation or via a unicast or narrow-beam operation.

47. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for receiving, at a UE, a first signal comprising a system information block, the first signal including a first indication of whether system information is to be requested by the UE and a second indication of at least one of a channel, a frequency, or timing information for sending, by the UE, a request for the system information;

means for identifying one or more functions for which system information is to be obtained;

means, by the UE, the request for the system information in accordance with the first indication;

means for receiving, at the UE, the system information in accordance with the first indication and the request, wherein the received system information includes system information for the identified one or more functions; and

means for establishing a connection between the UE and a base station in accordance with the received system information.

48. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

receive, at a UE, a first signal comprising a system information block, the first signal including a first indication of whether system information is to be requested by the UE and a second indication of at least one of a channel, a frequency, or timing information for sending, by the UE, a request for the system information;

identify one or more functions for which system information is to be obtained;

send, from the UE, the request for the system information;

receive, at the UE, the system information in accordance with the first indication and the request, wherein the received system information includes system information for the identified one or more functions; and

establish a connection between the UE and a base station in accordance with the received system information.

49. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

transmit, from a base station, a first signal comprising a system information block, the first signal including a first indication of whether system information is to be requested by a user equipment (UE) and a second indication of at least one of a channel, a frequency, or timing information for sending, by the UE, a request for the system information;

receive, at the base station, the request for the system information; and

transmit, from the base station, the system information in accordance with the first indication and the request, wherein the system information associated with functions available to the UE, wherein separate transmissions are used to transmit the system information for different functions and different configurations of functions; and

establish a connection between the base station and the UE in accordance with the system information.

50. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code for wireless communication, the code executable by a processor to:

receive, at a user equipment (UE), a first signal comprising a system information block, the first signal including a first indication of whether system information is to be requested by the UE and a second indication of at least one of a channel, a frequency, or timing information for sending, by the UE, a request for the system information;

identify one or more functions for which system information is to be obtained;

send, from the UE, the request for the system information;

receive, at the UE, the system information in accordance with the first indication and the request, wherein the received system information includes system information for the identified one or more functions; and

establish a connection between the UE and a base station in accordance with the received system information.

51. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code for wireless communication, the code executable by a processor to:

transmit, from a base station, a first signal comprising a system information block, the first signal including a first indication of whether system information is to be requested by a user equipment (UE) and a second indication of at least one of a channel, a frequency, or timing information for sending, by the UE, a request for the system information;

receive, at the base station, the request for the system information;

transmit, from the base station, the system information in accordance with the first indication and the request, wherein the system information associated with functions available to the UE, wherein separate transmissions are used to transmit the system information for different functions and different configurations of functions; and

establishing a connection between the base station and the UE in accordance with the system information.

52. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for transmitting a first signal, the first signal comprising a system information block and including a first indication of whether system information is to be requested by a user equipment (UE) and a second indication of at least one of a channel, a frequency, or timing information for sending, by the UE, a request for the system information;

means for receiving, at the base station, the request from the UE for the system information;

means for transmitting the system information in accordance with the first indication and the request, wherein the system information associated with functions available to the UE, wherein separate transmissions are used to transmit the system information for different functions and different configurations of functions; and

means for establishing a connection between the base station and the UE in accordance with the received system information.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein separate transmissions are used to transmit the system information for different services and different configurations of services.